I experimented with the method shown in the next "BW thread" below, the Greg Gorman photoshop method. This leaves lots of room for tinkering. That was followed by curves. I am not real happy with the handrail, thinking it needs more light perhaps. Careful with curves and extreme adjustments of shadow and highlight or detail goes away! The original "direct from the camera" shot is included next if you want to play with it. Thanks. Tom.

Here is the original, from the camera. It was a bright day. Digital image, ISO 200, f11, 1/640 sec, 27mm(35mm equiv.)

Tom, Experimented a bit with your image! Here's the COLOR version...all I did was use Photo-Shops Highlight/Shadow function and messed with the setting until I got a cool look (setting screen is in next message for reference!)

Shadow Highlight Settings I used for color version

Then I USE the Virtual Photographer Plugin customized "ANVIL" preset to get this!

Here are the VP settings for reference! Please note it defaults to "custom" whenever you change a preset! Agin this was a custom ANVIL preset!

L8r!
Joe

Message edited on: 05/14/2005 11:49

I like this darker image very much. Thanks for your method.

do like that darker color one too!! ;]

And..all shot on a very sunny day. : )

Here is one done in PSP, less intense on the sky. I did use Virtual Photographer on this one, then used mild gradient in a couple of lines from left to right lower on the sky. I am not very pleased with this one but not totally unhappy.

Tone and definition of the railing is just fine - as is most parts of the image, imo. It's a "back-lit" shot and lightening the railings would probably give an un-logic result.

Here's my humble suggestion.
What I did was simply catch the sky area in PS 7.1 using Lasso tool and set Brightness/Contrast to Brigthness -15 and Contrast +15 to bring out the clouds a bit more.
That's all.

Bakkti.

webmaster@jiger.org

www.jiger.org

Dear Bakkti, I like your render. My intention on the railings was to lighten a tad in areas already in light, not to mimic a different source of light. Your simple solution gives a good rendition of the actual day. Sure, dramatic images like others have posted are great and I like those. For a personal albumn, to have it close to the actual event is important and that may not be color but bw. I guess it comes down to the "why" of the image and is exactly why I keep all originals and then play with copies. One concern I have with lots of manipulation is printing. Large areas like "sky" will too often show visible artifacts of too much highlight and shadow alterations. Appreciate the post. TomDart

Love #3 here!! The sky in 3 is really gorgeous!!!

For me both of the original uploads color and BW look fine... no additional postwork needed..... but that's just me.

I did my usual Channel Mixer (with the "momochrome" checked but dropped the blue to a "-60" and played with teh red & green accordingly. Then, I adjusted levels, converted to greyscale & then to Duotone (I used Black & a Medium-Light "cool grey"). From there I went back to RGB, and adjusted the curves before saving the final image. I really wanted to keep the detail showing in the wood railings, the hillsides with the trees, and the sky.

Message edited on: 05/14/2005 23:21

My effort, very similar to the previous post but all the elements are original to the source image just adjusted to suite my eye.

Tom, looks fascinating all the different images...how they all look so different. i guess it will depend what YOU want!!!! Your original image is fantastic!!!! i sure do like #5 though....love that dramatic touch to it! :)